OK, first off, I did take shots of the TV screen of the title card for the 74th edition of the Kohaku Utagassen on NHK. So, if anyone on the network sees this and is unhappy about it, please inform me.
I actually watched No. 74 twice thanks to the wonders of technology and curiosity from my family. Overall, I have to say that it was a mix of the more grounded edition No. 73 and the flamboyance of editions past. We did get somewhat of a fancy-pants introduction of the singers mingling in the audience, for example. As for the theme of "Borderless", yeah, I think the producers fulfilled that in a number of ways: genre, nation, generation, etc. For me, the absence of the Johnny's & Associates groups such as Snow Man didn't strike as hard with the K-Pop groups like Seventeen filling in the gaps quite effectively and I have to say that if and when the Johnny's groups do return for No. 75, they've got a bar to reach in terms of the choreography.
Basically, there were no surprises. Everything happened according to what the pre-released lineup stated. There were a few disappointments, one of which was a foregone conclusion as soon as I saw that there would be a Disney tribute segment. For those who were watching the Kohaku via TV Japan; probably because of copyright expenses and/or persnickety permission requirements from the Mouse House itself, the segment was "legal'ed" out on our screens in that we could listen to the audio but the video part was replaced with a still photograph. As well, it seems that the powers-that-be behind the anime "Kimetsu no Yaiba"（鬼滅の刃）also had the performance by MAN WITH A MISSION and milet in terms of the theme songs were similarly "legal'ed" out. This was also the case with LiSA's performance on the Kohaku a few years ago with her own contribution from "Kimetsu no Yaiba".
Secondly, I was looking forward to that segment on the 70th anniversary of television in Japan with performances by old-timers Akira Terao（寺尾聰）, Hiroko Yakushimaru（薬師丸ひろ子）, Pocket Biscuits and Black Biscuits. However, it was really just the performances by Terao, Yakushimaru and the double Biscuits with Tetsuko Kuroyanagi（黒柳徹子）introducing half of them. I liked all of them just fine but it was really a case of false advertising there. The third thing was something that I wasn't all that surprised about considering the large number of music figures that we lost in 2023 and the time constraints on the show, but it was too bad that any mention of the people that have passed was limited to singer and TV host Masashi Sada（さだまさし）giving a shoutout to the late Shinji Tanimura（谷村新司）before he sang his song.
The highlights for me were the Queen + Adam Lambert performance of "Don't Stop Me Now", and the jam sessions of rock and aidoru big wigs. The performance of YOASOBI's "Idol"（アイドル）did bring some shivers when every aidoru showed up to dance in an event that one of the YouTube commenters described as an Avengers-type entrance. I guess then that Yoshiki's attraction of rock guitarists from a lot of bands for his number was the arrival of the X (Japan) Men. Also, it was nice to see a good domino challenge during Kaori Mizumori's（水森かおり）enka performance along with enka prince Keisuke Yamauchi's（山内惠介）presence in Asakusa, my old stomping grounds nearly thirty years ago. Of course, I will always appreciate good ol' Masayuki Suzuki（鈴木雅之）!
No. 74 was a well-oiled machine. The Kohaku was smooth and comfortable and had a pretty peppy pace. Bad news first though...it's looking like it's scored its lowest ratings in history with even the first half of the show dipping below 30% for the first time. At points, it appeared that the producers were throwing in everything but the kitchen sink to entertain folks but this was the final result. Now, do ratings mean much to you and me? Nope, not at all. I don't plan to go out on New Year's Eve all that much in my senior years so the Kohaku will always be my viewing bet. However, the ratings probably do matter to NHK and in the years to come, maybe some drastic retooling is in order or the axe may finally come down on one of the longest annual music specials on Earth, as I had once feared a couple of years ago.
The good news is that barring any major incidents, Edition No. 75 should be a shoo-in. It is a sapphire anniversary after all, and I think the Kohaku Utagassen is still something that beats most regular programming for now. And maybe, just maybe, the powers-that-be at NHK will decide to focus more on the international fandom rather than the homegrown crowd.
I wonder if the Johnny groups(or rather STARTO, since that's the new name for the agency that deals with the talents now) will be invited back for the 75th edition. Snow Man held a Youtube livestream around that time and it apparently broke streaming records on Youtube Japan.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I liked the show. I'm a fan of K-pop, so seeing acts like Stray Kids, Seventeen and NewJeans was pretty cool. The Yoasobi performance bringing together singers from both Japan and Korea was pretty good, really tying into the whole "borderless" theme.
As for the ratings, ouch but it still seems to be one of the highest rated programs of the year. It kinda reminds me of the Oscars in America, where ratings are no longer as big as they used to be but people still tune in regardless. Also, I think Kohaku maybe having a streaming option for international fans might be a good thing going forward.
Hello and thanks for joining me in the conversation. It's one that I have had with other friends on the blog.
DeleteAs for STARTO, I'm hopeful that Snow Man and the other groups will be asked back for No. 75 once the organization has shown that it's redeemed itself (although the one that really needed the redemption has long since gone) over the next several months.
The addition of the K-Pop groups was a welcome one. Usually my niece and brother come over on New Year's Day and they usually fast forward through a lot of the acts, but this time because of their interest in K-Pop, that didn't happen as much. Although I'm not sure whether there will be as many K-Pop groups showing up for No. 75 as was the case a few nights ago, maybe a few can still be invited and even collaborate with the STARTO groups.
The "Oh, woe is me" ratings thing is basically something that the media concocts because they often compare the current shows to the heyday of the 1960s when ratings were often in the 80 percent range. The environment is far different now since there are many more things to do outside of the home on December 31st and frankly music is far more accessible at any time. Moreover, the Kohaku's original purpose of spreading good cheer to the Japanese people during tough times was achieved years ago. I think as long as the Kohaku can keep things in the 30s, it should be able to survive for a while longer. Having said that, the fact that the first half did dip below 30% for the very first time despite all of the acts on the show is a bit concerning. One factor is how long and patient the network will be in continuing to fund a show that may end up slowly sinking to the popularity of a regular drama episode in the next several years.
I didn't recognize any of the K-pop groups, but if Kohaku is really into being 'borderless' they are going to have to invite singers from more countries than just South Korea. But, then again if Kohaku transforms into a program that showcases the top singers/groups from around the world I am not sure it would really increase the show's rankings.
DeleteWhat are the demographics I wonder? What types and ages of people traditionally watch Kohaku every year? And does NHK want to cater to their traditional audience or do they want to cater to a different demographic?
Hello, Brian, and if I didn't say Happy New Year to you earlier, Happy New Year!:) Knowing NHK, they will probably take a slowly, slowly approach if they decide to continue with the "Borderless" theme. I remember the first time that K-Pop groups were invited onto the program many years ago and then perhaps re-invited a second year only for the network to get hit with all sorts of abuse from the ultra-right. After that, no more invitations were sent. In the distant past, singers such as Cyndi Lauper were brought in although I don't know whether they joined as actual participants in the so-called battle or as special guests just like Queen was.
DeleteI think that there has to be a delicate balance between non-Japanese and Japanese acts coming onto the show. You're right in that any additions of top international singers or bands probably wouldn't dramatically improve ratings since those acts have already been seen by fans so many times.
It's a good question about what the demographics are for the Kohaku each year. At first, I would have said that the ratings skew toward older people, but recent editions have shown singers and bands that tend to attract the younger crowd, so I'm not sure if that's valid anymore. Maybe I will have to do what I did back in my university days and actually ask NHK directly.
They did have international invites in the turn of the 90's, should've done more international invites throughout.
DeleteI do agree, though, I think even the NHK knows the kouhaku is in the middle of an identity crisis. Given, the show itself is pretty much an unthemed NYE party on TV and there's no getting away from that, but what else? Maybe the NHK is indeed experimenting answers to that questions right now, and it won't hurt to try to be an international showcase.
Also, Lauper, along with the other international invites until the 2010's, were in the actual main roster. I'd comment about the ridiculous amount of gold acts but there weren't as many this time around.
DeleteWe're so gonna have vtubers and pseudonymous types gracing the kouhaku more often, huh
ReplyDeleteBut also, dang, it's also becoming more and more a show featuring the sorts of Japanese music Western weeabo types would like, which I admittedly don't like as much but hey if those things get international attention...
And while NHK has started using other studios for the kouhaku I'm kinda glad for this one they placed audience members in those cause last time they felt like studio sessions. Either way the staging is great and truly if Japan ever hosts the Asian version of the Eurovision they'd kill it.
The same two closing the show made me realize something else: maybe they're yet to find anyone else fit to close the show. This is an arbitrary suspicion but NHK might be taking show closer cues from the Showa era but with Heisei options and they couldn't find anyone else so far.
I guess that's my rambly mess of opinions for this one, Happy New Year!
Hi, Jenard and Happy New Year! No, rambly is perfectly fine here since I think this particular topic won't be something that will be resolved over a coffee. But yeah, apparently "borderless" can now include VTubers and mystery folks such as Ado and Greeeen. I was struck at how much of the VTuber, enka, anime and the old Showa kayo types were integrated into the show this year.
DeleteYou can probably thank the pandemic measures from the 2020 edition of the Kohaku for the spreading out of acts onto other studios. In a way, it has probably lessened pressure on the production crew from changing the sets on the main stage. The pre-Kohaku show had the set designer come on to explain the design and she's gotten some good reviews to the extent that the design may be kept permanent for other shows such as "Uta Con". Interesting point as well about whether the Kohaku could become an Asian Eurovision.
It used to be that the wrap-up for the show was the grand enka singer such as Saburo Kitajima and Hibari Misora which really emphasized the Japaneseness of it all, but one left this mortal coil long ago and the other has retired. I don't particularly mind Fukuyama and Misia closing things off but I don't think even the latter has quite the gravitas that Sabu-chan and the Queen of Kayo Kyoku had. So, I wouldn't mind if they changed the final singers for Edition No. 75.
I know that I'll be talking about this with some of my fellow writers in the weeks and months to come so it's been good practice.
Mind you, the folks behind Eurovision does have this subsidiary that deals with exporting the song contest idea etc to other parts of the world, one of them being an Asia-Pacific edition, which I anticipate cause I hope my home country of the Philippines joins. Given that Japan is a regular at the non-competitive ABU Song Festival I'm sure they will be just as eager to try their chops at a Eurovision Asia.
DeleteI believe you may have hit the nail on the head with the Kohaku perhaps going through an identity or a mid-life (mind you, it's going to be 75 this year) crisis. Its original purpose of cheering the masses up during the tough postwar ears was achieved decades ago but it has kept on going...most recently under these fairly vague themes although the "Borderless" was one that the producers were a little more intense about.
DeleteThe battle part of the Kohaku has been slowly frittered away over the years with the elimination of the captains for the teams, the presentation of the champion banner and even the blazers from years ago. I'm kinda wondering whether the Kohaku should even be split over two nights with the 30th devoted to the older and more traditional singers while the 31st can be more of the rock-and-aidoru fest.
A formal split? Probably not, or else they wouldn't be looking at their 40-something rosters and go "yep this is it." I might have alluded to this but maybe they should go back to when they 50 acts and essentially just toss song after song at us rapid fire.
DeleteAnd another thing about the whole NHK ratings thing: What do the average non-Japanese think when they hear Japanese TV? The weird shows and the weird commercials, neither of which are NHK's fare, especially not for its international channels. Now I'm not saying they should weird up the Kouhaku, but that might be a stumbling block for any attempts at the show taking in internationality.
Yeah, I was spitballing with that one. I remember the Kohaku with the highest ratings, No. 14 in 1963, had 50 acts in total. Mostly one after another is fine but I don't particularly mind the odd ensemble medley to break things up a bit. I do remember when a recent Kohaku was brought to a crawl because of the running gag of Tamori and Matsuko Deluxe trying to enter NHK to no avail. I was virtually yelling at the screen at those two to get back to "Buratamori" to do that sort of thing.
DeleteNope, I don't think they should "weird up" the Kohaku either but the way that the network has been using AI to give a few minutes of the news makes me wonder whether an AI host may be in the offing in the near future. Perhaps, a few more remote performances overseas?
They did on-location ones before, but the show will always be in that tiny hall in Shibuya so don't bank on it that much. Not sure about having more virtuals though.
DeleteOh, I have no doubt that the Shibuya stage will always be homebase for the broadcasts and I don't think it's quite that tiny. I figure that maybe there will be a few songs performed overseas in places like Manila or Seoul.
DeleteThe NHK would only do that if they have a perfectly good reason to do it given time zones and the extra headaches of placing an act abroad in the first place. The move though falls under the sorts of international moves I've been talking about.
DeleteBut I think if the producers are willing, they can still pull it off. NHK of course has branches around the world so something can be done with that hard work.
DeleteThis is turning out to be a really interesting conversation! I think the point made about Kohaku going through a mid-life crisis is right on the spot I am not sure if the producers know what they want Kohaku to be any more. But, whatever the producers are thinking it is pretty clear that they are out of touch with what the Japanese public wants to watch. I find this to be ridiculous because each year the producers have months to plan and think about the upcoming Kohaku.
ReplyDeleteHello, Brian. Part of me is wondering whether the producers have frankly thrown in the towel and just decided that they can only stick with the same structure year after year and just hope that at least some of those acts will attract attention from viewers. They tried bringing in foreign acts such as Cyndi Lauper and then upping the number of comedians on the show but neither tactic particularly worked out all that well.
DeleteI think the real problem is that the Kohaku has become comfortable aural wallpaper with enough ratings to keep on going for at least a while. Fans (at least the domestic ones) of those bands and singers on the Kohaku have probably heard the songs that they performed many many times during the year through media that's very accessible so they don't really need the Kohaku anymore. As I've mentioned above, perhaps the show needs to evolve into something focused on the foreign market along the lines of Eurovision because as it is right now, I think the feeling is that the Kohaku is obsolete in Japan.
An international approach is always there, though, they just aren't the types to want to try. Heck, if you try to build a fantasy kouhaku based on the foreign internet culture regarding Japan and maybe even Korea, you get what they're throwing right now minus anyone from before even 2010.
DeleteThere is probably a way they can go international without compromising the Japanese nature of the show, but admittedly if you look at weeaboo culture it's understandable why the obvious ones aren't that great.
Mind you, the Eurovision is also an old codger but it managed through the years by building its own identity through visible reactions to fandom among other things. Mind you, there are differences between it and the Kouhaku but one of them is well-known enough even in countries that can't participate in it(I myself am part of the main Eurovision fan club here). The Kouhaku is unknown even to weebs; they only know about it cause their favorite is gonna be on there.